Buckeyes On the Mic Talking Training Camp
8/7/2026 9:35:00 AM | General, Football
On being named the #1 team in the coaches poll to start the year:
“We don’t pay attention to things like that. Of course people are watching us - it’s Ohio State. It’s the highest level in the country.”
On the competition in the running back room entering the year:
“Yeah there is great competition between everyone in the whole room. Everyone gets together to trade notes and grow.”
On Tavien’s progress throughout the summer:
“(Tavien) has grown a lot. He’s becoming more of a leader and a lot more vocal.”
On the impact of Coach Arthur Smith and his NFL experience:
“(Coach Smith) runs a great offense. He uses the tight ends a lot and moves guys around… We’ve watched a lot of film of players he’s coached like Bijan Robinson and guys like that. It’s been great having him.”
KJJ on how this year feels different:
"I don't really think too much about it. I'm pretty much just being myself, leading by example and being a vocal leader in the team. I'm a veteran on the defense, like you said, I just lead by example and do my job."
On how the team helps him improve:
"I think last year I had to sacrifice a little bit of playing on the inside. I'm still doing it now, but I think this year I'm all over the field. You've got to be in so many different fronts and positions where I can play on the field."
On Matt Patricia as a teacher:
"He's a player coach. Everybody loves him in the building. It's really easy to have a conversation with him; talk football, talk life, he's like a magnet. Then once you step onto the field, it's the same way. It's just easy conversations. He comes from the NFL, he knows what he's talking about."
On Max Klare's leadership last year:
“He helped me out so much. Just seeing how he handled the movements on our offense and all the motions that we had. As a young guy, I was trying to learn as much as I can and just kind of be a sponge around him."
On Arthur Smith as the Offensive Coordinator:
You just have to take each meeting and try to learn as much as you can from him. Obviously, he’s taught some of the best players in the world. He’s a very upbeat, chill person…he tries to keep the meetings very relaxed. He’ll crack a joke every now and then, make sure the guys are laughing. I like that he can turn the switch and just be very focused."
On his mindset going into fall camp:
“I don’t feel like I have any more weight on myself than I did last year. I’m just going out there and doing my job each day. We just [have] to hold ourselves to that standard each day and Coach Day has done a great job [of] that."
On the kind of chemistry on defense:
“Defensive side of the ball, you know, I feel like guys are definitely doing well together, Coach Mick, he's done a great and phenomenal job with that, just putting us in different groups, whether that's working out in the weight room or on the field. We all hang out with each other outside of the Woody, so the brotherhood is definitely there. We're all connected and we're all playing as one”
On the toughest mental position to play in football:
Me personally, I feel like it's safety. You're back there making all the checks, for everybody, and everybody's kind of relaxed. Putting those specific calls out there and getting everybody situated in the right position.”
On his relationship with Jaylen:
Yeah, me and Jaylen, we're both, the communicators on the back end. We kind of talk with each other every day, not kind of, we definitely talk to each other every day. That's what it's going to take that brotherhood, that relationship. Your question, like you said, he's been here for a minute. He's done a phenomenal piece to the defense, and you know everybody kind of leans on him.”
